Party elites, not members or middle managers, drive post-communist party transformation.

Evidence

The mid-level elites of the communist party are defined by their positions (Mosca 1980, Putnam 1976): regional communist party bosses, government ministers and deputy ministers, and junior candidate members of the Central Committee. Once they became the party leaders in 1989–90, they were the driving forces behind the transformation of the parties. Theoretically, any number of party layers, such as the members or party functionaries, may influence party policy. However, the membership faces the collective action dilemma. Unless it is particularly homogeneous or given extraordinary powers, is simply too geographically and organizationally diffuse to have the final say in party policy. Party bureaucrats and activists face the problems of “middle management” – they are too dependent on both the party elites and the membership for their position within the party. Party elites, on the other hand, both place items on the party agenda and choose among proposed alternatives (Elster 1989, Harmel and Janda 1994). They can then implement these decisions, both through their executive authority and by placing like-minded individuals into key positions, thus further cementing their initial efforts (Suleiman 1978). — Anna M. Grzymala-Busse, Redeeming The Communist Past, 105

Categorization

• XREF: This actor-centered account of who drives organizational change parallels rational-choice arguments about who bears transition costs, relevant to selection of leaders when an external enemy vanishes. — connects to: Mid-level elites drove post-communist party transformation.; Elite skills and party cohesion drive successful postcommunist transformation. — Anna M. Grzymala-Busse, Redeeming The Communist Past: The…, 72; Democratic transition triggered massive communist party elite turnover — Anna M. Grzymala-Busse, Redeeming The Communist Past: The…, 393

Broader Connections

• Mid-level elites drove post-communist party transformation. #corroborates (0.95)
• Elite skills and party cohesion drive successful postcommunist transformation. #corroborates (0.85) — Anna M. Grzymala-Busse, Redeeming The Communist Past, 72
• Democratic transition triggered massive communist party elite turnover #expands (0.75) — Anna M. Grzymala-Busse, Redeeming The Communist Past, 393